Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

Where did an item go, what happened to it along the way, and is it still in the condition a customer expects? In this episode, Reid Jackson chats with Amir Khoshniyati, Vice President at Wiliot. Amir explains how Wiliot describes physical AI for everyday assets: battery-free tags can give products and containers a digital identity, while Bluetooth Low Energy connections capture signals such as location, motion, temperature, humidity, and light exposure. That information can help teams see what happens between facilities where traditional tracking can lose sight of an item. The discussion also covers how physical AI can work alongside RFID, barcodes, QR codes, existing readers, ERP systems, and warehouse management systems rather than forcing companies to replace prior technology investments. Amir shares five core use cases—departure, receipt, condition, location and cycle count, plus visibility into reusable transport containers, and explains why food, grocery, CPG, automotive, logistics, healthcare, and 3PL operations are strong candidates for this approach. Looking ahead, Amir sees lower tag costs, broader deployments, and assets that may one day communicate with one another. For supply chain teams, the bigger idea is simple: better item-level data can support earlier decisions when products are delayed, misplaced, exposed to the wrong conditions, or headed to the wrong destination. In this episode, you'll learn: How physical AI can track an item's location and condition across the supply chain Why lower tag costs could expand item-level visibility across more industries How condition history can add context that inventory data alone may miss Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (03:23) Wiliot's physical AI platform for everyday assets (05:00) From IoT and ambient IoT to physical AI (09:01) Filling supply chain data blind spots (10:17) Brownout spots between facilities and in transit (12:26) Five core use cases for item and container visibility (14:48) Where Wiliot sees adoption across industries (18:05) How physical AI can coexist with RFID, barcodes and QR codes (22:10) Interoperability, standards and building on existing investments (25:01) What supply chains could look like over the next five years (29:52) Condition-aware perishables and product safety questions (31:54) Amir's favorite technology (32:41) What Amir wants to learn next Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guest: Amir Khoshniyati on LinkedInVisit Wiliot at https://www.wiliot.com/

Behind every piece of fresh produce is a complex supply chain working to ensure food reaches store shelves safely, and new traceability requirements are changing how that work gets done. In this episode, Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl chat with Christina Herrick, Produce Editor at The Packer, to discuss the realities of food traceability, the impact of FSMA 204 on the fresh produce industry, and why compliance requires far more than simply meeting a deadline. Christina shares why produce presents unique traceability challenges compared to other food categories, how labor shortages, evolving regulations, and fragmented supply chains complicate implementation, and why organizations of every size need to begin preparing now. She also explains why successful traceability depends on better collaboration, standardized data sharing, and understanding the unique needs of every participant across the supply chain. This is more than a regulatory requirement. It is an industry-wide effort to improve food safety, strengthen consumer confidence, and build more connected supply chains that can respond quickly when it matters most. In this episode, you'll learn: Why FSMA 204 is transforming food traceability across the fresh produce industry The biggest challenges growers, distributors, and retailers face as they prepare for compliance How standardized data sharing can improve food safety, recalls, and supply chain visibility Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (03:06) Why consumers rarely see the complexity behind food safety (05:00) How produce traceability differs from other food categories (08:35) Why traceability matters during recalls and outbreaks (10:01) Why compliance is not a light switch (11:07) How labor costs and regulations affect traceability investments (15:16) Why many companies don't know where to begin (17:00) The unique challenges facing smaller growers and distributors (20:18) Why every produce operation approaches traceability differently (22:18) Finding the right motivation for industry adoption (23:17) Why GS1 standards help simplify data sharing (24:35) Christina's favorite technology and what she wants to learn next Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guest: Christina Herricks on LinkedInVisit The Packer at https://www.thepacker.com/

A single contamination can have serious consequences for vulnerable populations, such as students. Traceability is essential to ensure food safety from the farm to the school cafeteria. In this episode, Jim White, President and Co-Founder of ENSESO4Food, and Candice Bevis, Farm Operations Manager at Spartanburg County School District 6, explain how digital traceability simplifies FSMA 204 compliance and strengthens confidence in the food supply chain. They discuss how affordable technology and GS1 standards help small farms operate with the same precision as large suppliers, connecting farms, processors, and cafeterias for a safer food system. In this episode, you'll learn: How to ensure accountability in food sourcing and delivery Why simplicity and affordability matter for technology adoption Ways schools are using visibility to improve food safety Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (04:22) How the Trakkey partnership began (07:59) Connecting farms, processors, and schools (12:33) How digital tools simplify compliance (18:03) Teaching students where their food comes from (20:56) Making food safety simpler for farmers (23:31) Reducing waste and improving efficiency (26:32) Jim and Candice's favorite tech Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn This episode is brought to you by:AccuGraphix If you're interested in becoming or working with a GS1 US solution partner, please connect with us on LinkedIn or on our website. Connect with the guests: Jim White on LinkedInCheck out ENSESO4Food and Spartanburg County School District Six

From Sunday suppers to 2,000 stores… and almost losing them all. Andrew Arbogast turned his dad's cheese dip recipe into a fast-growing CPG brand, only to face the harsh realities of shelf life, co-packing, and retailer expectations. In this episode, he joins Liz Sertl to share how he scaled Arbo's Cheese Dip, what nearly sank the business, and the turning point that gave him a second chance. Listeners will hear the unfiltered story behind bringing a homemade recipe to the national stage, and the resilience, partnerships, and supply chain decisions that made survival possible. In this episode, you'll learn: How shelf life testing and packaging decisions directly impact scalability Why rapid national expansion without brand awareness creates costly supply and demand mismatches What strategies helped Arbo stabilize its operations Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (02:33) Family traditions that inspired Arbo's recipe (04:25) Why barcodes matter for brand credibility (06:03) Shelf life challenges with early co-packers (08:11) Reformulating products for large-scale production (09:24) Rapid retail expansion that backfired (11:31) Winning Walmart Open Call and scaling mistakes (13:28) Debt crisis and asking for help (17:33) Grants and innovation with Real California Milk (19:31) Favorite flavors and unexpected uses for cheese dip Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guests: Andrew Arbogast on LinkedIn Check out Arbo's Cheese Dip

Carter's just pulled off what many retailers thought was impossible. In only three months, the iconic children's apparel brand rolled out RFID technology across 700 stores: improving accuracy on every item and making life easier for both store teams and customers. In this episode, Gina Maddaloni and Anna Marie Blackburn from Carter's join hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to discuss how RFID became central to Carter's retail operations, what it took to win buy-in across the company, and how it is improving both inventory management and customer experience. You'll also hear how Carter's uses RFID to cut payroll costs for year-end inventory by 50 percent, why the rollout became a recruiting tool for store teams, and where the company sees new opportunities to extend RFID into supply chain operations. In this episode, you'll learn: How Carter's achieved one of the fastest RFID deployments in retail Why RFID is no longer "too complex" or "too expensive" What's next as Carter's expands RFID use into its supply chain operations Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (01:29) Anna Marie and Gina's backgrounds (03:52) What RFID technology means for retail (06:47) The process of rolling out RFID across Carter's stores (13:21) RFID's impact on Carter's operational efficiency (17:49) RFID as a recruiting tool for store teams (18:54) Asset protection benefits and peace of mind (19:34) Expanding RFID into DC operations (21:35) What's next, Carter's move toward serialization (23:01) Advice for companies starting their RFID journey (24:02) Busting RFID myths: cost, complexity, and adoption (26:29) Favorite tech beyond RFID (29:22) What Gina and Anna Marie want to learn next Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guests: Gina Maddaloni on LinkedIn Anna Marie Blackburn on LinkedIn Check out Carter's Learn more about the GS1 US Solution Partner Program: https://www.gs1us.org/industries-and-insights/partners

The packaging around your product now matters just as much as the product itself. For companies navigating Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, that's quickly becoming the reality. And it's reshaping how teams think about data, packaging, and compliance. In this episode, Lindsay Savage, Senior Director of Data Governance and Business Platforms at Georgia-Pacific LLC, joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to demystify what EPR means for manufacturers and retailers. With legislation ramping up across states, Lindsay explains how brands are preparing for complex reporting requirements, coordinating across departments, and turning sustainability regulations into opportunities for smarter product innovation. In this episode, you'll learn: Why EPR is more than a packaging issue and why it matters now How Georgia-Pacific is building scalable systems to manage regulatory data Tips for companies just getting started, from legal teams to logistics Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (02:21) Lindsay Savage's background (03:16) What EPR means for your business (04:50) Every state has its own rules (06:15) Data overload and the push for standards (07:36) Breaking down product, packaging, and pallet (09:27) Two ways to report EPR data (11:20) How to get started with EPR compliance (12:40) Building cross-functional teams for success (17:55) Embracing AI tools to stay ahead Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn Connect with the guest: Lindsay Savage on LinkedIn Check out Georgia-Pacific